Course Outline for English As A Second Language 251
Writing Workshop for Non-Native Speakers: Emphasis on Thesis Development and Essay Organization

Effective: Fall 2024
SLO Rev:
Catalog Description:

ESL 251 - Writing Workshop for Non-Native Speakers: Emphasis on Thesis Development and Essay Organization

27.00 Hours

May be repeated 99 time(s)
Individualized and group instruction in writing with emphasis on thesis development and essay organization. Student develops and reinforces academic writing skills through conferencing with instructor, group workshops, completing online exercises, completing and revising writing assignments, and working with instructor and tutors on individual writing needs.
4930.84 - English as a Second Language - Writing
Pass/No Pass/Satisfactory Progress
Type Hours
Laboratory 27.00
Total 27.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Write essays with clearly recognizable and coherently connected introductions, bodies, and conclusions;
  2. Write strong introductory and concluding paragraphs;
  3. Write a clear thesis statement that is smoothly integrated into an introductory paragraph;
  4. Develop a point using explanation, illustration, and analysis;
  5. Use transitional signals to clearly mark the essay's movement from point to point.
Course Content:
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Group Activities
  2. Individual Performance
  3. Practice/Demonstration
  4. Class and group discussions
  5. Computer-based interactive curriculum
  6. Review
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. After freewriting ideas you would like to include in your essay, organize these ideas by making a map of them using the Inspiration software. Discuss the resulting outline with a tutor or instructor. Compare your outline to the assignment sheet for that essay; do they match well? Will you have to add or change anything?
  2. Read the assignment sheet you received for this essay. Using a pen or highlighter, mark the important points that you will need to include in your paper. If you don’t understand something, put a “?” by it. Discuss your marks with a tutor or instructor; explain your understanding of what the instructor wants you to do.
  3. Write a rough draft of the introduction for your essay. When you finish, check the assignment sheet again. Does your introduction meet all of your instructor’s requirements? Discuss this with a tutor or instructor. Repeat with the body and conclusion.
  1. Assigned activities
  2. Class Participation
  3. Lab Activities
  4. Online Assignments
  5. Demonstration of practice and skills
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Use feedback from the instructor and coaches to revise their work, so that the connections between ideas are clear and the organizational structure is easy to follow.
  2. Apply the instructions for their academic writing assignments.
  3. Write a composition of an appropriate length and depth for their level.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Raimes, A. (2017). Pocket Keys for Writers: Spiral-Bound Version (5th). Cengage.
  2. Dollahite, N.E and Haun, J. (2012). Sourcework: Academic Writing from Sources (2nd). Cengage.
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
This course is for non-native speakers of English who are taking English courses or other courses that require academic writing. It is also open to students enrolled in ESL courses. Thesis development and essay organization are emphasized, but all aspects of the writing process are addressed as needed on an individual basis.
Discipline: